(Plastics Today) -- Engel and Elmet are introducing a new low-temperature silicone curing process that speeds processing time for injection molded two-component parts for medical and other applications. At the heart of the technology is a very innovative mold with integrated UV lamps and transparent plastic inserts.
"Liquid silicone can now be combined with a wide range of thermoplastics directly in injection molding," said Leopold Praher, sales chief for Elast/LIM at Engel Austria.
"In the two-shot molding, we see the combination with low-temperature plastics such as polypropylene as the biggest opportunity," Clemens Trumm, manager of the German Application Development Center at Momentive Performance Materials. Application of the technology to injection molding is brand new.
In the demonstration at last month's Symposium, polypropylene was overmolded with liquid silicone to produce wine stoppers. The irradiation time for the vulcanization of the silicone components took 20 seconds. A two-component wine stopper was molded in the LSR technology demonstration.
The new technology also has significant implications for extruded silicones.There are a few extrusion applications although this whole technology is very new for the market.
MRC